billpickett Posted February 1, 2019 Report Share Posted February 1, 2019 Anyone have any info on either of these 2 tubs? Open to suggestions of good quality hit tubs to buy...5-6 person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletonia Posted February 2, 2019 Report Share Posted February 2, 2019 Both are quality spas. I was a Caldera dealer through 2018 and have been a Hot Spring dealer since 2017. Both models are the upper tier from both manufacturers. Even though the Cantabria is a decent amount larger, I personally do not think it fits many more people. The Envoy is 5 and maybe 6 in the Cantabria. I think Hot Spring has a better filtration system and is slightly better insulated. It also has the wireless touchscreen control panel where the Caldera is a fixed touchscreen. ABS frame on the Hot Spring and wood on the Caldera. The UltraMassage lounge in the Cantabria is really nice, so long as you fit the lounge well (I didn't, floated like crazy). Assuming you are looking at 2019 models, then both will have the Freshwater Salt System. If the Caldera is a 2018, then no salt whereas the Hot Spring is salt compatible regardless of year. Ultimately, you need to wet test and see which is a better fit for you. Consider the dealer as well since they are the ones taking care of you after the sale. I would expect the Envoy to be about $1,500 less (at least that's what my price difference was last year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmer Posted February 6, 2019 Report Share Posted February 6, 2019 I have a Hot Springs Grandee NXT which is one size up from the Envoy. One comment to add regarding the Envoy. We originally intended to buy the Envoy, but after sitting in it discovered that the lounge seat is too short for a man over 6 foot, and 5'4" woman needed a scuba weight belt to keep from floating up. So glad we sat in it before we bought. Very happy with the Grandee's seating and jet features. It is also a little deeper than the Envoy, so if you have tall people, that might be a consideration. Grandee is supposed to seat 6-7, but with 4-5 people it is plenty crowded. The two of us each have a back massager MotoJet, so no fighting for that seat. I like that I can bring the touchscreen into the house and keep an eye on the spa, too. Ours is a model 2018 with the ACE system, which I was told was replaced by a different salt water system for 2019. I am a newbie and this is my first hot tub, but I am happy with the features. We looked an an awful lot of spas before we bought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jwyrick85 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 I work for a dealer that sells both brands. From a service standpoint I seem to have less warranty calls on the Hot Spring stuff (Even though they're made by the same parent company.) I've had some issues with the DJS system on the Cantabria, glue joint failures and tons of issues with the 1" speakers for the audio system. You'll also need to have 70 amp power if you want to be able to run all 3 jet pumps and the heater at the same time. On the Hot Spring up until the 2019 model year, I would have strongly advised against the Ace salt system. But the system just got a major overhaul and I'm not sure if the newer system will fix the issues that the old system had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whistlingpine Posted March 22, 2021 Report Share Posted March 22, 2021 I'm also trying to decide between the caldera Cantabria and the hotsprings envoy. I like the look and size of the cantabria better but has read somewhere than the envoy is a better built hot tub than the Cantabria. I was offered the Cantabria for $18,500 and the envoy for $15,500. I feel like the prices are steep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletonia Posted March 22, 2021 Report Share Posted March 22, 2021 8 hours ago, whistlingpine said: I'm also trying to decide between the caldera Cantabria and the hotsprings envoy. I like the look and size of the cantabria better but has read somewhere than the envoy is a better built hot tub than the Cantabria. I was offered the Cantabria for $18,500 and the envoy for $15,500. I feel like the prices are steep. The Envoy is built in California and the Cantabria in Mexico, if that matters to you. Hot Spring uses a polymer frame and multi-density foam insulation where Caldera uses a pressure treated wood frame (with ABS bottom pan) and Fibercor insulation. As a dealer for both, I see a similar amount of service calls between both brands. I would not say one is better built than the other. If you compared a Caldera Geneva to the Hot Spring Envoy, the Envoy would be a bit more expensive due to the frame material difference and the wireless remote. What is included in those prices? It's important to help determine how good/bad of a price you are getting. What steps? What coverlift? Saltwater? Ozone? Etc. Are they from the same dealer? Depending on what's included, that Cantabria price could be exactly what I sell for and the Envoy price might be a bit less. Either way, while those prices are not earth shattering deals, those prices probably not steep by any means. Remember, right now this is a sellers market. Higher demand than ever and low to no inventory means that dealers can hold their prices and if you don't like it there will always be someone else who will purchase. It's just the market right now. Maybe in 3-4 years it will be different, but keep that in mind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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